Waterworks
Dehumidification to avoid condensate and corrosion in in slide chambers
Dehumidification in waterworks
Summary:
K.I.R.S.C.H. dehumidifiers are a simple, reliable and efficient way to prevent corrosion on pipes, fittings and containers caused by condensation.
Condensate is an annoying and harmful byproduct of humidity. On constantly wet surfaces, paint is peeled off and corrosion occurs. No less problematic is the presence of bacteria and mold.
K.I.R.S.C.H. provides a simple solution to these problems: sorption dehumidifiers that removes the moisture from the air before it condenses. The dehumidifiers are designed specifically for industrial use. They offer waterworks the expected reliability and feature an automatic control to minimize energy requirements.
Why dehumidification?
Reducing operating costs
Time that is required for annual removal of corrosion and applying of new protective coatings is reduced. The number of exchange due to corrosion is reduced. The elimination working hours due to troubleshooting – for example, valves and pumps blocked or jammed by corrosion – can achieve great savings. The life expectancy of the equipment is improved and repair costs are reduced.
Improvements for employees
If corrosion on critical parts of the system is prevented, the maintenance intervals can be planned in advance. The maintenance is carried out in the form of normal overhauls in normal working hours and is therefore not as costly.
Increased hygiene
Constantly wet system components result in growth of mold, bacteria and fungi, also where the hygiene requirements are very high: in waterworks that supplies the population with clean drinking water. Clean drinking water is essential for the health of the population. In a sense, the waterworks supplies essentials for all foods. Appropriate hygiene at the waterworks is an important prerequisite for bacteriological clean drinking water.
The current situation in waterworks
When planning waterworks measures are taken to ensure that no problems arise on the inside of the pipes and system components caused by contamination or corrosion. The problems, that occur on cold surfaces, are often not recognized in time. Condensation occurs whenever the temperature of a surface is lower than the dew point of the air. This effect can be seen in summer on glasses with cold drinks. In waterworks condensation also occurs in spring and autumn. The outside air is indeed cooler, but still humid, and therefore condenses on cold surfaces of pipes and fittings.
Usually, water plants are dehumidified in a, so called, closed loop. Ambient air is dried by the dehumidifier and blown back into the room. Outside air is only used to regenerate the sorption rotor, as it receives moisture from the desiccant rotor and is passed back to the outside as wet air.
K.I.R.S.C.H. offers a simple solution if outside air can not be used for regeneration: an air-cooled condenser on the regeneration airflow makes recirculation possible. The moisture is removed as condensate and no outside air required.
K.I.R.S.C.H. has the ideal solution also for controlling. Changes of air and water temperature influence the temperature on surfaces of pipes, etc. A sensor that measures the surface temperature on cold pipes is controlling the dehumidifier so minimum possible energy demand required.
Strict rules requires hygiene for water used for food processing. These requirements are easily met with dry slide chambers, pump stations or treatment plants. Operators and engineers finds that K.I.R.S.C.H. dehumidifiers meet up to same high technical standard as the rest of the equipment in a waterwork.
